Aurum Exploration met compliance regulations during one year of bauxite export stagnation

The bauxite mines in Bua, Papua New Guinea, have been constantly under the scanner. The Department of Mineral Resources has conducted regular inspections, all of which revealed full compliance on the part of Aurum Exploration Fiji Ltd, the company owning the bauxite mining sites in the region.

Department of Mineral Resources acting director Apete Soro said, the company provided all updated reports of business progress to the Office as a part of the disclosure. He added that the department was well aware of the export challenges faced by the company.

"The department is fully aware of market constraints, which are limiting the company's efforts in establishing a consistent export cycle," Mr Soro said.

"The company continues to explore the possibility of securing long-term contracts with potential buyers given the improvement in bauxite quality at the Naibulu Mine. But at this juncture, bauxite export is demand-driven on a shipment-by-shipment basis and the department is fully aware of this."

The 70,000 tonnes of bauxite that was lying at the mining sites for the last one year since the export halt started, would be shipped next month, confirmed sources close to Aurum Exploration.